


Let me tell you about Nick and Diane

by GooseOfGander



Category: Come From Away - Sankoff & Hein
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-20
Updated: 2020-02-20
Packaged: 2021-02-28 07:20:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 859
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22810027
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GooseOfGander/pseuds/GooseOfGander
Summary: A short work in which Nick meets Diane for the first time on the plane. Maybe the start of something longer?
Relationships: Diane Gray/Nick Marson
Comments: 4
Kudos: 5





	Let me tell you about Nick and Diane

**Author's Note:**

> I saw Come From Away in Melbourne on the Weekend and I was blown away! The story was so inspiring. I haven't written since high school - be gentle with me. Comments and criticism welcome. Enjoy.

There was a meditation technique in which a yogi can achieve near total serenity by focussing their third eye inward and by breathing in a pattern held for eight seconds and then eleven seconds – and then some other nonsense that Nick couldn’t remember. The yogi instructing Nick and his beginners’ yoga class had one earlobe longer than the other and this had bothered Nick so much that no amount of holding breaths would allow him to achieve serenity. “It’ll be fun” said Gillian; his girlfriend at the time – would he call her a girlfriend? How long did two people have to be together for them to labelled as a girlfriend and boyfriend? Certainly, longer than eight breaths and eleven breaths, three movies and two - far too spicy - curry dinners. 

No, Nick’s idea of fun and Gillian’s idea of fun were not mutually compatible. He had no idea why his mind wandered toward his ex-girlfriend – would he call her an ex-girlfriend? An ex-partner? Goodness, what an uncomfortable thought! But, now, in hour umpteen of sitting in this awfully cramped tin-can of an airplane, shoulder to shoulder with Bozz, a scrum-half from Aberdeen, the idea of serenity was very appealing. 

Finally after the fifth rendition of the Aberdeen Grammar Rugby Club theme song, whose lyrics seemed to consist solely of the words “Aberdeen, Aberdeen, we’re the best” and a series of grunts, Nick excused himself – politely of course – because what Bozz lacked in singing prowess he more than made up for in tattoos and girth. Nick made his way toward the front of the cabin. Here and there he had to step over a sleeping or stretching passenger as he proceeded up the aisle.  
Outer garments and inflight magazines were strewn across the rows of seats. Everywhere, people stretched and coughed and fanned themselves. To preserve fuel, the Captain had turned off the air-conditioning system. It was now a stifling climate in the cabin and the passengers wriggled and stretched in anyway they could in the limited space. How long would they be here? The flight attendants had assured them at first that they would be underway again shortly, sir. Then they would depart when the Captain gives the all clear, sir. Then I’m not sure, sir. And with the uncertainty there was trepidation bordering on fear in their voices. 

Nick stepped through a group of small children playing a card game in the aisle. He’d never been very good at gauging the age of children. They were of small age and one of them had a laugh like two balloons rubbing together. Nick still needed to complete his proposed residual budget before they landed and the sound of two balloons rubbing together was not exactly a conducive work environment. 

None of this was a conducive work environment, really, but he’d soldier on. He’d never once been late with a work assignment. His diligence had been rewarded with more work assignments, no increase in pay, longer hours, more anxiety and more travel. He wouldn’t let them down. Mr Aston, the CFO had told him so. “You won’t let us down, Marson” he’d said and slapped Nick on the back. Nick hadn’t yet – though every now and then he’d have nightmares in which he did let Mr Aston down and everyone else – Susan from Acquisitions, Greg and Matt from – well he didn’t know which department they were from – Gillian his ex-girlfriend – why was she in his nightmares? And some nights his mother was there too. They all looked down on Nick sorrowfully and cried, shaking their heads at being let down. Then Nick would wake like a shot, bolt upright, sweating and wondering what he had forgotten to do. Like many things in his life, his career trajectory was fueled by fear.

Finally, after stepping over a large woman fanning herself with an emergency evacuation information card, Nick spied an empty seat. He shimmied awkwardly along the aisle and apologised profusely to each passenger along the row before slumping with relief into the seat. A woman to his left turned with a start as though she hadn’t noticed him bustling down the row. She looked shocked as though rudely awoken. “Do you mind if I sit here?” Nick stammered. He’d never been much good at talking to new people. Or women. A new woman just compounded the issue. When she didn’t answer right away, Nick clarified, “I need to work and they are drunk at the back of the plane.”  
“Please.” She said already turning away from him, gazing off in to the limited distance of the cabin. Nick felt he should apologise for the intrusion. He’d been frightfully rude sitting down uninvited and even under the circumstances he didn’t want to be known as someone without manners.

“I’m Nick” he said extending a hand across his body. She turned back towards him. Her shoulder length blonde hair swinging as she did. “Diane” she said taking his hand. That’s when Nick realised she was beautiful. She turned away from him again and with some surprise, Nick noticed he held his breath for eight seconds and then eleven seconds and felt it. Serenity.


End file.
